Safe digging and damage prevention

To protect people and the environment, and to reduce the risk of pipeline damage, federal and provincial/state laws require anyone planning a ground disturbance or excavation activity near a pipeline right-of-way (ROW) to call, in advance, their local toll-free one-call number in either Canada or the United States.

In the United States, 811 is the free, FCC-designated national one-call number that connects a caller from anywhere in the country to the appropriate local one-call centre. Anyone conducting soil-disturbing activities in the U.S. should call 811. In Canada, the Click Before You Dig website at www.clickbeforeyoudig.com represents Canada’s first national “one-window” approach for requesting location of buried utilities prior to ground disturbance. The Click Before You Dig system is also available in the U.S.

Though pipelines are identified by above-ground markers, the markers should never be used as a reference for the exact location of the pipeline. Also, as the depth of pipelines and other underground utilities can change over the years due to erosion, previous digging projects or uneven surfaces, there are varying depths to underground systems. That’s why it’s important to contact your local state/provincial one-call service provider, or Enbridge directly, at least three days before you do any type of excavation in any area that you believe might be on or near an Enbridge ROW.

Activities that require a locate request include, but are not limited to:

The construction of buildings or foundations, and stockpiling of materials or burn piles, are also prohibited on the ROW.

Enbridge representatives must be on-site to supervise any excavation near the ROW.

For installations or to operate a vehicle or mobile equipment across the ROW, written permission from Enbridge is required. Depending on the installation, approval could take up to 10 days, so please plan ahead. We can help you avoid problems and delays by:

helping you obtain written permission for construction/excavation over Enbridge pipelines

locating and marking Enbridge pipelines

acquainting others with the 30-metre prescribed/controlled area on either side of the centreline of the pipe (Canada only), and providing guidelines for excavation and blasting